Power-generating apparatus.



EH0. coums POWER GENERATING APPARATUS.

D JAN 26 I9I6 APPLICATION FILE RENEWED JAN. 8. I918. 1 72,378. Patented Jul 1 6;1918.

Erica ELBBTDGE C. COLLINS, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IOVTEIR-GENTERA'ITING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented uly 16, 1918.

Application filed January 2c, 1916, Serial No. 74,410. Renewed January a, 1918. Serial No. 210,948,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBRIDGE G. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a durable, which will permit of ready and easy control, and which may be erected within minimum space.

My invention further and particularly consists in the apparatus to be now described with reference to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which the figure is a diagrammatic view of the entire plant, certain of the parts being shown in section, as hereinafter referred to.

Asv shown in the drawing, my invention contemplates the provision of a reservoir A having a valved inlet pipe A leading into its upper end for supplying a suitable volatile or liquefiable gas, such as sulfur dioxid or anhydrous ammonia, the gas so supplied being in liquid form.

From the base of the reservoir A leads a pipe B, controlled by a valve B, pipe B depending into the upper end of a supply tank C, from the lower end of which a pipe D depends, and is controlled by a valve D. The pipe D extends downwardly into a generator E having a vent E at its upper end and adapted to contain a heated fluid such as water, with or without calcium chlorid or oil, the heating of the fluid within the generator E being effected in any suitable manner, as by means of. a steam of electric coil F having inlet and outlet pipes F and F respectively communicating between the same and the lower and upper ends of the generator.

The lower end of the pipe D- within the generator E is connected to one end of a. high pressure coil G, to the opposite end of which is connected one end of a gas pipe H, it' being noted that the high pressure coil G is entirely surrounded by the heated liquid Within the generator before mentioned. I

The opposite end of the pipe H leads to the impact engine preferably in the form of a turbine, as seen at I, and is controlled by a valve H, the exhaust pipe J leading from said turbine and controlled by a valve J, being extended upwardly and connected to one end of the coil K of a condenser K, the opposite end of which 'coil K is connected to a pipe M, through a valve M, which latter pipe leads into the upper end of the reservoir A.

The shaft I of the turbine I may be extended to any suitable point from which it is desired to take power therefrom, or may be utilized in any other suitable manner, as forIinstance, to drive a dynamo indicated at A. pressure equalizing pipe -N extends from the gas or high pressure pipe H as shown, and is provided with a controlling valve N adjacent said pipe. equalizing pipe N is also provided with branches N and N each controlled by its respective Valve N and leading respectively into the upper end of the reservoir A and the supply tank C.

Thus in operation with the high pressure coil G heated to a desired temperature by the liquid within the generator E maintained at, for instance, 104 F., and with a supply ofliquid gas in the reservoir A, the valve B is opened permitting a quantity of the liquid to pass into the supply tank C by gravity, the valve B being then closed and valve D opened to permit the liquid from the supply tank C to pass down-' wardly to the high pressure coil G through pipe D. The liquid so finding its way into the high pressure coil, is promptly changed to its gaseous form, and in doing so expands to a high pressure and in such form and at such pressure passes through the gas or high pressure pipe H to the turbine 1, Valve H having been opened. The valve N of the pressure equalizing pipe N is then opened and valve N of its branch N also opened to permit of the passage of pressure within the supply tank C in 'order to balance the vpressure above andbelow the supply of liquid gas therein, and permit of continuous feed of the liquid downwardly by gravity.

The gas at high pressure having been Pressure utilized in the turbine I to drive its shaft I,- passes through the exhaust pipe J, valve J of which has been opened, to the condenser K, passing through the coil thereof and after condensation and in liquid form, finding its way again 'to the reservoir A through the pipe M, valve M of which has the generated gas or the excess hereof, may

pass directly from the high pr ssure or gas pipe H to the exhaust pipe J ata point above the valve J of the latter and thus directly in communication with the condenser, through a by-pass O in which a relief valve 0' is mounted.

I The reservoir A and supply tank C may be respectively provided with pressure indicators A and C and a pipe P may lead from the base of the supply tank C,

througha cut-offvalve P and a regulating valve P to a pump Q, the discharge pipe R of which, having a valve R, leads to the pipe D before mentioned at a point'loelowthe valve D thereof. 7

Thus the pressure equalizing branches N -and N may be cut ofi by closing valves N in each of these pipes, and the supply of liquid. gas to the high pressure coil G efi'ected through the pump Q. In 'this event, the regulating valve P -iscontrolled byits pressure pipe P leading from the pressure equalizirig pipe N and having a controlling valve Thus from the foregoing itwill be seen that I provide an apparatus of a simple and inexpensive nature, capable of ready and convenient control and erection within a minimum space, and which will be durable and effective in its operation.

I claim 1. In an apparatusof the character described, a reservoir having a. valved inlet anda valved outlet depending therefrom, a supply tank into which said outlet depends,

1 having a depending valved pipe, a fluid holding generator, means forheating the fiuid' within said generator, a1 high pressure .coil within said generator and to one end of which said supply tank pipe isconnected,

a valved high pressure gas pipe leading from the opposite end of said coil, an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a

. condenser, an exhaust pipe'leading from the said impact member to the said condenser,

a valved pipe leading from the condenser .into said. reservoir, a pressure equalizing pipe leading from said high pressuregas pipe, a feed pump for feeding liquid gas into the high pressure coil, having an intake pipe communicating with said supply tank, .and a regulating valve in said intake pipe having a controlling pressure pipe leading into said pressure equalizing pipe. 2.-'In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir having a valved inlet and a valved outlet depending therefrom, a supply tank'into which said outlet depends, having a depending valved pipe, a 'fluid holding generator, means for heating the fluid within'said generator, a high pressure coil within said generator and to one end of which said supply tank pipe is connected, a valved high pressure gas pipe leading from the opposite end of said coil, an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a condenser, an exhaust pipe leading from the said impact member to the said condenser, a valved pipe leading from the condenser into said reservoir, a pressure equalizing pipe leading'from said high pressure gas pipe, and having valved branches respectively communicatin with said reservoir and said' supply. tan q 3. In an apparatus of the characterdescribed, a reservoir having a valved inlet and a valved outlet depending therefrom, a supply tank into which said outlet depends having a depending valved pipe, a fluid holding generator, a high pressure coil within said generator and to one end of which said supply tank is connected, a valved high pressure gas pipe leading from the opposite end of said coil, an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a condenser, an exhaust leading from the said impact member to the condenser, and a valved pipe leading from the condenser into the said reservoir. Y

*4. In an apparatus of'the" character described, a generator including a high pressure coil, a supply tank communicating with said generator coil, a high pressure gas pipe also communicating with said coil,,an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a condenser'connected to the exhaust side of said impact member, a reservoir with which said condenser communicates, having a valved connection with said supply tank, and a valved pressure equalizing pipe leading from said high pressuregas pipeand having valved branches. respectively communicating with said reservoir and with said supply tank. a

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a generator-including a high pressure coil, a supply tank communicating with said generator coil, a high-pressure gas pipe' also communicating with saidcoil, an impact member to which said gas "pipe leads,

a condenser connected to the exhaust side of said impact member, a reservoir: with which said condenser communicates, having a valved connection with said supply tank, and valved ressure equalizing connections between said gas pipe and said reservoir and supply tank.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a reservoir having a valved inlet and a valved outlet depending therefrom, a supply tank into which said outlet depends having a depending valved pipe, a fluid holding generator, a high pressure coil within said generator and to one end of which said supply tank is connected, a valved high pressure gas pipe leading from the opposite end of said coil, an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a condenser, an exhaust leading from the said impact member to the condenser, a valved pipe leading from the condenser into the said reservoir, and a pipe extending directly between said gas pipe and said exhaust pipe and having a relief valve therein for the purpose described.

7. In an apparatus of the character de-v scribed, a generator including a high pressure coil, a supply tank, a high pressure gas pipe communicating with said coil, an impact member to which said gas pipe leads, a condenser connected to the exhaust side of said impact member, a reservoir with which said condenser communicates, having a valved connection with said supply tank, a feed pump for feeding liquid gas into the high pressure coil having an intake pipe communicating with said supply tank, and

a regulating valve in said intake pipe hav-- inga controlling pressure pipe communicating with said .high pressure gas pipe.

8. A power apparatus including a supply tank for the reception of gas in liquid form,

a generator havin a closed coil in which the liquid is trans ormed into a gas at high pressure, an impact member to the working chamber of which the gas is fed directly from the generator coil, having an exhaust pipe, a condenser communicatlng with the said exhaust pipe of the impact member and having valved connection with the said sup-' generator.

ELBRIDGE C. COLLINS. 

